Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $836 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,280 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,723 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 68% more expensive than Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Sandakan, Sabah is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.34 MYR 9.50

52.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$18.98 MYR 77.0

71.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.65 MYR 18.85

4.52%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.60 MYR 10.55

5.77%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.69 MYR 2.79

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.25 MYR 1.02

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.30 MYR 9.33

26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.48 MYR 14.09

8.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.72 MYR 6.98

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.24 MYR 5.01

99.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.15 MYR 4.65

4.35%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.79 MYR 11.31

-12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$15.31 MYR 62.1

-6.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.61 MYR 14.66

19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$6.90 MYR 27.97

76.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.57 MYR 10.44

43.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.13 MYR 4.57

37.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$3.29 MYR 13.35

-15.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.00 MYR 8.11

16.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.22 MYR 4.96

61.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.28 MYR 5.18

80.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.08 MYR 4.37

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.51 MYR 2.05

43.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.19 MYR 17.01

-21.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$20.37 MYR 82.6

11.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.91 MYR 7.76

47.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.62 MYR 6.59

71.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.68 MYR 2.76

-57.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$11.59 MYR 47.01

-30.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.15 MYR 4.65

-60.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.03 MYR 4.20

-56.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$5.86 MYR 23.77

6.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.46 MYR 1.88

84.78%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$29.0K MYR 117.6K

-10.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$28.2K MYR 114.4K

12.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$47.00 MYR 191

71.81%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$3.56 MYR 14.43

14.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$23.54 MYR 95.5

3.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$37.45 MYR 152

160.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$5.79 MYR 23.50

11.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$2.79 MYR 11.33

44.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$304 Rp 5.4M

$93.4 MYR 379

225.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$4,465 MYR 18.1K

48.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$59.3 MYR 241

-8.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$22.40 MYR 90.8

73.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$69.9 MYR 283

23.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$93.6 MYR 380

-18.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$387 MYR 1,571

154.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$274 MYR 1,113

139.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$637 MYR 2,581

429.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$465 MYR 1,886

344.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,042 MYR 8,280

34.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,040 MYR 4,217

114.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,225 MYR 4,968

-86.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

342.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $387 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 650% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Sandakan, Sabah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $243 per month, with Sandakan, Sabah cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs Sandakan, Sabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $836 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sandakan, Sabah earns 650% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $387 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sandakan, Sabah runs roughly 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $93.4 in Sandakan, Sabah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $836 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sandakan, Sabah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.